You’ve been gone for a long while. Like almost… two years, dude! So much has happened since LeBron came back (your last post). So what have you been doing? You get a job yet? I mean… a real job?

I know. You were doing your thing. Just joking. Is working from home all that it’s up to be? I bet it is.

Did you know we got new neighbors? Yeah, a young couple. They are home all the time. They turned that home around. New roof, windows, they even build a wood fence around the back. It looks amazing.

Also, I got me a new gig. Well… it’s not really new. I’ve been at it for a while and I really like it. It’s challenging and fun, and there is never a dull day. That’s good for a change.

So… you haven’t told me yet. Where were you?

We haven’t seen you in so long, we felt like you dropped off the face of the earth. Thank goodness you’re doing well. You look good too. Have you been working out? I’ve been doing some P90X3. It’s helping with only a month into it. My friends hate Tony Horton, but he kicks ass! Fuck what they say. He got me in the best shape of my life. With the 20 extra pounds I gained this year, I’ll need his help again.

You’re here now and the bummer is that I’m traveling again. I have to go across the Northeast for my job. I like traveling but not as much as I used to. I miss being home more frequently than usual. However, I love talking to people. Hell… I love talking.

I got to get going. It was nice seeing you again. And don’t be a stranger. Post more. Explore. Get after it!

Things are crazy right now. I have new opportunities to help me flourish and someone is coming back to Cleveland. There’s a lot of excitement in my home area of Northeastern Oho. It’s said that the most stressful moments come in a new career or situation such as new home or status like marriage or divorce.

The marriage of LeBron James and the city of Cleveland ended in a messy divorce known as “The Decision“. The separation united the city with a hatred hotter than 10,000 burning suns. Literally. But as with love, separation makes the heart grow fonder. More than four years later, James returns to a forgiving fan base and turns the alley of West 4th Street into Times Square (well… that might have been the ESPN booth).
There’s a lot of promise for the city that’s been lost for last several years. Cleveland’s relevant again and there’s hope. The sports nation looks toward the city to witness the beginning of something special or sports tragedy.
The people have been set up to endure failure for so long. The Browns beat the Steelers one week only to lose to the worst teams in the NFL. The Indians make a playoff run only to lose steam down the stretch.
It’s about time they get a chance to enjoy, at this moment, a chance. A real chance to compete for a championship is upon the fans. A chance to be a part of something special.

So here’s to the new season of hope. Here’s to a new beginning of a championship run for the city of Cleveland. Let the party begin in the streets. But not too late. I have to work in the morning.

There’s a passage that hangs on my office wall I read everyday after working. It allows me to take stock in the thoughts and accomplishments throughout the day.

Oftentimes you feel the need to sit down and take stock of the things in your life that you need to do better, that you need to improve, that you need to address, and this is not a bad thing.But, when was the last time that you sat down as earnestly and as enthusiastically and took stock of all the things that you have done RIGHT?The time you took to help others, the people you supported merely because it was the right thing to do, the right choices you made when no one was watchingThere is always room for improvement in areas of your life, but there is nothing magical or superior about only focusing on the negatives, even if it is with an eye toward making them better.Balance dictates that you look at the totality of your situation, and that includes giving credit where credit is due.Today, take a moment to examine your life from the vantage point of what you have done right, and embrace the unique and beautiful wonder of YOU!

There are so many things that linger in my mind when decompressing from my work day. An idea pops in my head and teases me to get back on my laptop and turn it into action. I often found myself in that situation when I first started freelancing full time. I thought having this kind of routine would be beneficial of having a career that I could make my own hours and choose my own direction. Sure enough I was right, but it did come at a cost. I found success but soon learned that I sacrificed the free time I wanted to have in the first place. It was just work, work, work. What good is freedom when you’re always locked inside your Word document?

That was the time I stumbled upon that passage. I discovered that my desire for balance was lacking. It was insufficient because I didn’t have the balance of praise and criticism. There was always something to improve on or add to in my assignments. There was always one more person to call. One thought after another. And with my own fluid schedule, I thought I could knock out all of these notions and run my freelancing business smoothly. I was sadly mistaken. The one thing that I despised when working for “the man” turned out to be what I became. I was that boss that wanted more from the employee who was me.

Reading these sentences made me realize the need to have a stop and start button to my daily career hustle or else it would burn me out. Fortunately, it has made a better writer and time manager. Once I started looking at what I accomplished and not dwelling on what I could have done better or missed out on, the opportunities appeared more. I was less stressed and not so overwhelmed when on assignment. The game came to me instead of me forcing things.

Now, my career has taken a great turn and I owe all to my change in thinking. I was always about my process as a writer and editor, but my mindset has really over the top. I’m thankful for that. I don’t know who the author of these words were but they’ve very helpful in my life. So, here’s hoping they’ll make good use for you.

It’s almost Halloween. And in today’s world, that means one thing. It’s Christmas season. Since most people I know (by people, I mean Twitter followers and bloggers) are itching to bring out the holiday joy, they’ve inspired me to start planning my gift shopping. It’s never too late, right? In this case, my gift receivers are not too tech-savvy or choosy. One particular person has hinted toward something to read on or something to tell him/her where to go. So in true holiday-before-we-are-even-ready spirit, I present to you some out-loud thoughts of a Christmas pre-shopper.

E-READERS
The benefit: As our surroundings change, some things stay the same. Curling up to enjoy a good book has never gone out of style. Only the method has changed. The nifty e-reader replaces the vacation book bag along with the hassle of carrying several books around. With more public venues offering wi-fi and the access to networks, e-readers are able to store thousands of books, newspapers and magazines for your reading pleasure.The brands:• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

The biggest complaint for e-readers is the glare from sunlight that makes reading the screen challenging. The Paperwhite fixes that with a bright, white screen to keep the words in focus. It’s considered by experts as the best overall e-reader in the market. Older versions are available at an affordable price.• Barnes & Noble Nook GlowLight

The lightweight competitor to the Paperwhite, the GlowLight also provides plenty of light for reading as well as an rubber edge in case of any clumsy mishaps. It also holds up to 4 GBs of internal memory and eliminates page flashing (what happens to the screen when it refreshes: Think sudden bright light).• Kobo Glo
A lightweight alternative to the main brands of Barnes & Noble and Amazon, the Kobo Glo has a touch screen interface, an expansion slot for additional memory and compatibility with EPub files. With the Adobe DRM format available, users are able to read most e-book store-supported formats.

GPS
The benefit: It’s not your father’s road map located in the glove box. The GPS on your car’s dashboard might just be your best friend when you’re lost. Although the technology allows GPS to operate on your smartphone, these standalone devices provide audible driving directions as well as a large easy-to-read screen.The brands:• Garmin Nuvi 3597LMTHD
Considered one of the best in market, the Nuvi comes in a thin metal frame with a five-inch screen. The voice command makes it easy to use and keeps your hands rightfully on the wheel. Even the directions speak in a real-world, conversational tone like “In a quarter-mile, turn left. Keep straight past the hotel and turn left at the light.”• Magellan SmartGPS
This beefed-up GPS is in tune with all the latest networking such as wifi and Bluetooth connection. Applications like Yelp and Foursquare work hand-in-hand to provide downloaded, real-time traffic reports with fuel price data. If you have an iPhone, the SmartGPS app works for seamless integration.• TomTom GO Live 1535M
Labeled under “keep-it-simple,” The TomTom GO Live 1535M blends together web applications like Trip Advisor and Google to provide pinpoint destination searches. In addition to its voice command and HD Traffic service, the Twitter app allows drivers to tweet the ETA without texting.

Those are just my initial thoughts, but who knows. Things could change before Thanksgiving.

I was interviewing a chief executive for a feature about female CEOs. During our conversation, she brought up the idea of “having it all”.

It’s all boiled down to flexibility.

The woman, who owns a waste management firm, said it is up to the individual to know what “all” is. She also narrowed it down to organization. That got me thinking about my own memes of “having it all” and achieving general success.
Being organized is essential in my line of work. I wouldn’t know how to manage if I wasn’t in order. I’m at the point where I treat it as a game. I have an app to manage my time for certain projects. It’s a race to get as much done in a small lot of time. Add the obsessive urge of me making lists and folders, it’s enough to keep me motivated and efficient.But not every day’s the same. There are roadblocks and detours to get around. Organization is a daily mission, a mission of flexibility that exposes whether we have a Plan A, B, C and beyond. It’s a skill.One of my most influential bosses, whom the majority are women, have taught me the whole theory of organization and how to move on the fly. At the time, I thought it was a waste of time. One of my superiors had me make a list for every job responsibility bestowed upon me. Then, write a line-by-line description of every move . It was grueling as much as it was mundane.
The motto was, “write it as if a 12-year-old boy could read the instructions and do your job”. Not that my job was so pathetic that a pre-teen could do it (it wasn’t, it was awesome) but in short, the plan was to keep it simple.
I was doing it so much that before long I looked forward to chronicling my work. The decrease of stress and worry was immediate when I dove into work projects. I was engaged and wanting to improve. It lead to raises, more responsibility and job security. When my boss wanted to know what I did, all I needed was a chart or folder to put on her desk.
The ability to navigate my mission of flexibility has been one of my admiring professional qualities. I still have all the charts and folders I made along with other plots and procedure manual I’ve authored since then. It’s still helping me to find work and staying on top of workday.

What is your idea of “having it all”?

COMMENT BELOW, PRETTY PLEASE

WEEK 6

Last Week: 11-4 Season: 41-35

“I’m back in the saddle, again… I’M BACK!!” PICKS ARE IN BOLD.(BYES: KANSAS CITY, NEW ORLEANS)